Ragtime: A New Synchopation
by KuJoe
Summary: A piano teacher, who was once a very very good friend of Coalhouse Walker Jr., tells how he learned how to play Ragtime
1. Prologue

Prologue

An older, trained piano teacher sat in his office, writing down notes about a new song he was writing as a younger man entered the building. The sixteen year old, colored boy looked around the large room packed with large pianos on a wooden floor. There were framed photos on the walls a long with a bookshelf filled with books; music sheets, novels, biographies. It was obvious that music and reading were two of the teacher's favorite things.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" the young boy asked loudly, his words bouncing off of the walls, causing an echo.

The piano teacher picked up his head at the boy's words, "In here!" he said politely from his office which was at the opposite end of the large training room.

The boy slowly walked into the smaller room, "Hello, I believe I've missed the lessons. Can you tell me when they begin?" he asked as he glanced at many other framed photographs; one with the teacher at a much younger age with a colored man in a bowler hat with a beautiful colored woman.

"Oh, they begin at noon," said the teacher, light wrinkles blanketed his face and stray white hairs were hidden among a dark brown head of hair, "May I ask your name?"

The boy smirked, "Jonathan McCoy,"

"It's nice to meet you," he stated, extending a hand for a handshake, "I'm Brian Smith."

The boy shook the older man's hand, "I saw on the sign outside that you taught Ragtime lessons and I decided to see if I might be able to learn how to play,"

Brian smiled, "That's the first time somebody's wanted to learn how to play Ragime. Everyone's signed up for other styles. Ragtime's got some history, you know."

"It does? Who taught you?"

Brian's smile flinched for a moment, and his voice changed, "It's a long story," he then saw the boy's disappointment when he heard that he couldn't learn of it, "Alright, I'll tell you. You seem genuinely interested."

Jonathan smiled, "I like stories like these," he took a seat on the other side of the large desk ,

"Well, what year is it again? 1922, so that would be seventeen years ago in 1905. I just moved from California to Harlem when I decided to go into a lively club…"


	2. Chapter 1: A happy piano player

Chapter 1:

The happy piano player

The cool breeze blew through the streets of Harlem into a twenty-two year old man's face, soothing his mind and bringing a grin to his face while his body began to get cold. It was Brian Smith, but sixteen years younger. His eyes fell upon a club further down the road as he heard laughter flourishing from inside. He walked through the doorway to see a room filled with colored people who were sitting at tables in one corner while the many other tables were empty. They seemed to be having an excellent time since they were laughing and they had a good manner.

They all watched as Brian entered and their mood slightly wavered as he smiled and sat at a nearby table. Brian smiled once again, and then looked down as he rubbed his cold hands together. He was so deep in thought about the journey to New York that he didn't notice a man in a bowler hat get up from his seat amongst the group of people in the corner and order a glass of water from the bartender.

"Can I get ya anything?"

Brian picked his head up as the man kindly asked him, "Oh! No… No, thank you"  
The man tipped his bowler hat to Brian with a disbelieving look. The man turned to the bartender and murmured something, then sat down at Brian's table, placing his water down by his own seat and a cup of hot tea in front of Brian, "You look like you need it," he smiled brightly once more.

"Oh, thanks," Brian said, smiling and taking a sip, then flinching at the heat of the liquid. He shivered as he swallowed the hot liquid, and then turned to the man, "It's getting cold out there,"

"Yep, winter's on its way," the man said, then extended a hand for a handshake, "Name's Coalhouse Walker Jr."

Brian shook his hand, "Brian Smith. Nice to meet you," he then thought for a moment, 'Haven't I heard of you from somewhere?"

Coalhouse smiled, "I've played the piano at a few clubs here in Harlem,"

"That's it! They say you're quite good,"

The man smiled, "It pays the bills. You don't look like you're from around here."

"Yeah, I just moved here from California,"

"Really? Then you're really not used to weather like this, are you?"

Brian laughed slightly, "Definitely not."

"What made you come all the way out here?"

Brian hesitated,

"Come on, you can tell me," Coalhouse said, obviously genuinely interested judging from his expression.

"Well, I was going to get married here in Harlem, but… let's just say things didn't work out. She went back home to California and I decided to stay out here,"

"I'm sorry, man," Coalhouse patted Brian on the back,

"Don't worry about it." Brian faked a smile, but it faded quickly.

Coalhouse smiled to himself as he had an idea, "Wait here for a moment," he stood from his chair and walked to the piano in the other corner of the room; the group of people joining him, knowing what was going to happen next. Coalhouse then beckoned Brian to join them by the piano after he had sat down in the piano stool.

Brian hesitantly approached the piano, not sure of what was going on,

Coalhouse gestured towards Brian, "Gang, this is Brian Smith. His heart was just broken after he moved here from California," the gang nodded and said their greetings to him while one man among the group patted him on the back.

Unsure of what to do, Brian lightly waved to them and said in a quiet tone, "Hi,"

"I think we need to cheer him up with a nice, warm welcome" he said while smiling happily as the group cheered at this.

Coalhouse began to play a fast pitched song, causing the group to dance. The song was unlike anything Brian had ever heard before. It was such a happy, upbeat, exciting tuen. As Brian was both mesmerized by the music and embarrassed at Coalhouse's declaration, a woman pulled him into the center of the dancing group. She then started to dance in a way that Brian did not know how to. Coalhouse watched as he continued to play and he laughed as Brian attempted to learn how to dance while the group attempted to teach him.

After many attempts, Brian began to catch on and began to dance with the woman, though he was sloppy on some of the moves. He began to laugh as the rest of the group formed a circle around the both of them and began to cheer for him. They clapped a long with the beat of the piano song and applauded Brian and his dance partner after the song had finished.

Coalhouse joined the applauding group while laughing and put an arm on his shoulder as the group began to talk once more, Brian's dance partner smiling at him as the two of them walked back to the table, "You happy yet?" Coalhouse asked with a bright smile,

"What music style was that?" Brian asked, wiping the sweat off of his forehead,

"I call it 'Ragtime'. You seemed like you needed some cheering up."

Brian shook Coalhouse's hand, "Thank you so much," he then glanced at his pocket watch, "I'd better go home and get some sleep."

"How far away is your home?"

"It's three blocks away."

"Let me come with you, this city can be dangerous at night," Coalhouse said as he grabbed his brown jacket from the coat hanger. He then turned to the group, "See y'all tomorrow!" he said while waving.

Brian waved to them, "Thanks for a wonderful night," he said as they waved back.

The two men went out the door and into the cold night air, then started to walk down the pat. Coalhouse turned his head to Brian as they walked, "Missy likes to include newcomers in the dances,"

"Missy?"

"Your dance partner," he smiled,

"She's awefully good,"

"She's one of my best friends. You'll warm up to her over time. She can get a little overexcited about certain things, but she has a good heart,"

After twenty minutes of walking and talking, the two men came upon a smaller house, though they almost didn't notice it there because they were having such a good time.

"Oh! Here's my home over here," Brian said as he pointed to it,

"Not bad. Do you have a job yet?" Coalhouse asked,

"No, not at the moment,"

"Well, Gramps, that's the guy that owns the club that we were at, said that he needed somebody else to help him run the bar. You could probably ask him for a job."

"Thank you for the information," Brian said, starting to walk up the small path to the front door, "You need anything? I could heat up some coffee…"

"Nah. You go get some sleep. I should probably get some too."

"Alright. Thanks again, Coalhouse."

"Don't worry about it," he said while smiling once more and tipping his hat, "Have a good night, Brian."

"You too," he said in response, nodding his head, then walking inside.

Brian closed the front and hung up his brown leather jacket. He then got ready to sleep and laid down on the Queen sized bed and stared up at the ceiling as he put the blankets over his body. He then thought to himself, _Wow, my first day without Jane and I've already made a new group of friends. Coalhouse Walker Junior… I didn't know people could be so kind. _He then closed his eyes and almost instantly fell asleep, dreaming good dreams.


End file.
